There’ll be a lot to parse through about what the Brooklyn Nets did when they traded Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant in just about a week, but it seems clear their situation wasn’t healthy.
Take Irving’s honesty after he learned of Durant’s trade to the Phoenix Suns. Not only did the guard quash any apparent lingering beef between the two superstars, he said he’s happy the 34-year-old Durant “got out” of the crumbling Brooklyn onto a contender.
For someone who Irving will likely have to compete with for a deep playoff run in the Western Conference, these were rather interestingly timed comments about the Nets. That, or he’s just really genuinely happy for a former teammate. Maybe both?
Kyrie Irving reacts to the Kevin Durant trade to Phoenix: “I’m just glad he got out of there”
— philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) February 9, 2023
Indeed. Irving will likely get to “see” Durant a little bit more. His Dallas Mavericks will see Durant’s Suns twice over the next few months. And that’s just in the regular season alone, not including any potential playoff battles.
If we get an Irving-Durant playoff matchup, hoo boy — get your popcorn ready.
NBA fans couldn't help but think of what went wrong with the Nets after Irving's comments
— Davis Wallace (@DavisMWallace) February 9, 2023
That front office must've been horrible https://t.co/HCtlkhLTjA
— Brandon (@WakeupMoody) February 9, 2023
Kyrie every time he leaves a team. https://t.co/YH8g1QmcSr pic.twitter.com/v83h8HGNje
— Paola Massiel (@_PaolaMassiel) February 9, 2023
The Nets were building the team the right way until Kyrie and KD got there now they want to paint them out to be a bad organization after they burned it down unbelievable https://t.co/mqnyl2JEiP
— Roronoa Bozo (@SSJDanielito) February 9, 2023
It’s funny people assumed KD was tired of Kyrie. If they best friends don’t you think KD probably thought the same way Kyrie did about a lot of stuff lol. I think the only difference is Kyrie is vocal KD is not https://t.co/sRrdYnQh5A
— Carolina Connect (@CarolinaConect) February 9, 2023
i hope joe tsai is one of those everything happens for a reason people because he’s going to need god after this https://t.co/Qn5QZJHDPl
— haley o'shaughnessy (@HaleyOSomething) February 9, 2023
Kyrie always with the best responses https://t.co/y2d3fPTef1
— Mej. 😣 (@mejirearijaje) February 9, 2023
Jacque Vaughn bought to dip on them folks too at this point 😂 https://t.co/nYIpv05x2r
— gee. (@geeondruh) February 9, 2023
idek what to say if I were a Nets fan https://t.co/sj00zGjtk9
— KODAI SENGA SZN (@draftniks) February 9, 2023